Haptic to optic attachment for a soft IOL

Abstract

A method of making an intraocular lens including providing a fixation member having a proximal end portion with the proximal end portion including an elongated filament, converting a region of said filament at said proximal end portion from a first configuration into a second configuration which is adapted to provide a mechanical interlock and molding an optic about the proximal end portion of the fixation member to form a mechanical interlock between the second configuration and the optic and to attach the fixation member to the optic.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method of making an intraocular lens comprising: providing a fixation member having a proximal end portion with the proximal end portion including an elongated filament with a region of the filament formed into a loop; and   molding an optic which is substantially larger than the loop about the proximal end portion of the fixation member with some of the optic being within the loop and with the loop being at a peripheral region of the optic to form a mechanical interlock between the loop and the optic and to attach the fixation member to the optic.   
     
     
       2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of providing includes permanently bending said region of the filament to form said loop. 
     
     
       3. An intraocular lens comprising: at least one fixation member having proximal end portion, said proximal end portion including a filament with a region of the filament at the proximal end portion being formed into a loop;   an optic, said proximal end portion being within the optic and a portion of said optic being in said loop to form a mechanical interlock between said loop and the optic and to attach the fixation member to the optic; and   said loop being at a peripheral region of the optic and being substantially smaller than said optic.   
     
     
       4. An intraocular lens as defined in claim 3 including a second fixation member having a proximal end portion which includes a filament with a region of the filament formed into a loop, said loop being within a peripheral region of the optic and spaced from the loop of the first mentioned fixation member. 
     
     
       5. An intraocular lens as defined in claim 3 wherein said optic can be flexed to permit it to be inserted through a relatively small incision into the eye and said loop is more rigid than the optic.